My Favorable Outlook on New Health Care Legislation

Though it
has been maligned as an overly controlling and heavy-handed move by the
American government, the new health care legislation does have its share of
supporters.

With over 20 years of experience in the health industry, I understand how difficult it can be to deliver an adequate standard of care to patients.
Many have suffered at the hands of so-called "indigent care" because
they not only had no health insurance, but lacked the ability to even apply for
it.

I have served as the chairman of the board for the 430-bed Menorah Medical
center, in addition to being a member for 20 years. As well, I am the director
of the American Cancer Society of Johnson County. What this means is that I know the hospital industry, and more importantly know that this new
legislation will be good for it. Instead of losing money on patients who are
unable to pay for services, hospitals will at least be guaranteed some form of
repayment because of the new government-funded insurance initiative.

My years working in the public eye have given me a long and largely
unbiased view of the subject. While the new health legislation may make the jobs
of private insurers slightly more difficult, it opens doors for those who
previously had no access to decent medical care of any kind; to those that were
forced to either sit and suffer in silence or to attend the hospital for care,
only to lack the funds to pay the bill for even the most minor of treatments.

Having worked in the industry and after meeting the people of the nation who
are desperate for some access to the health system, I believe that this
health care legislation, while not perfect, is a step in the right direction.